Book Two: Beyond The Exterior
by Severus'forbiddenlove
Summary: Not too long after the previous events, Severus finds himself struggling with a deadly potion that should have left his system. Roysel is still missing. New elements within his life send it on a collision course for disaster, but worst of all, is the new and highly danagerous threat to his new wife and his life. Can love conquer all or will it destroy everything?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I am back, dear Merlin been too damn long. Firstly, do not murder me. The plot bunnies disappeared but when they came back...yeah...know why the expression mulitply like rabbits, so yeah book two. I have nearly the entirity of the story within my head and have till Friday to deliver at least two chapters. To the previous, welcome back, and to those that are new. Pleaae read Behind Tough Exterior or you will be sorely confused...maybe...havent mapped chapters out yet.**

 **Please enjoy chapter one as we set off another part of Severus's life.**

 **~S~**

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 **Chapter One:**

There is no sunlight down where I am, a proverbial hell of sorts, I think of nothing and hope it eases the pain. So much has happen in so little time. The pain is real, it lives and breathes just as my heart does, it pulses systematically through my nerves. Every fiber, bone, and muscle ache, a deep penetrating hurt that not only is dulling my senses but is causing mass lapse in time frame. I do not wonder for a moment what I have done to deserve this, it is all too clear. The Vow. I had failed...

I awake gasping for air as my lungs constrict from apparent lack of use, sweat clings to every single hair that stands on end and causes me to shiver as the cold washes over me. The pin pricks of hair lining my jaw and underneath are sharp as I swipe the sweeat from my face, had it all been a dream? There is a soft sound of fabric rustling as I look around the very dark room, the fire having gone out hours ago by the looks of the logs. Clarisa is staring at me with fearful eyes, tears silently coursing their way down her cheeks, a sudden irrational fear grips me. I notice we are not alone and then it hits me, I am not where I had fallen sleep, or was that a dream too?

I look around the room once more, four walls with white paint, a single wooden door with a small window. A monitor spelled to track my vitals and magic, and lastly a single bed with white sheets that I am in. A hospital, that is where I am. I flex my right hand and flinch as pain shoots up my arm and to my back, just what in the hell has happened. I glance to my side and see Clarisa sleeping awkwardly within a chair next to the bed, her hand is curled within mine and I flex my fingers this time. Slowly but surely her eyes flutter open and she gasps, fully coming onto the bed to embrace me, I think nothing of it till my body hashly protests and a groan of pain escapes my lips as white hot bolts of pain take their course.

"Do I need to ask?"

The words come out humorless as I look at her, my brows furrowed and lips thin. I shiver as I pull the blanket around my shoulders, what I would not give to have my cloak with me. She grabs my attention by sitting on the edge of the bed, her hand resting upon her abdomen. I briefly glance but instead look to her face,

"What?" I ask skeptically.

"Severus," My gut tightens. "You have been in St. Mungos for a month now,, I-I though I had lost you at one point. You stopped breathing and your lips, oh gods, they were blue. I-"

I embrace her and allow her to say no more, I feel her body shaking within my arms and I hold tight, pressing her body to mine, pain be damned.

"This is _not_ how I imagined our honeymoon."

I feel her chuckle at my dry humor and I catch her rubbing her abdomen again, I wonder if it is a habit that I had not noticed before, I dismiss the idea as quickly as it had formed. That was not what mattered. I hold fast still and allow myself to relax, my chin resting upon her silky hair, her body heat warming me as I bring her as close as humanly possible. I revel in the fact that this wickly beautiful and intelligent witch is mine, just a month ago I was holding her hands, looking at the white silk dress hugging her curves as I said my vowes to always protect and love her. Her vowes had struck deep, a cord of emotion I had long since lost reverberated within me at her words. I knew then and I know now; as I continue to hold her, that her words are more true than anything I have ever heard or belived.

"What happened?" I ask softly into her hair.

"The potion," She pauses and squeezes my arm before continuing. "It did not leave your system, it is all my fault, I didn't know."

Clarisa begins to cry again.

"Did not know what?" I say a bit too forcably.

"It-I-Nearly killed you... _again_." She hiccups and I press her close once more when she tries to move. "Severus..."

"Hush. I am fine obviously-"

"No!"

My hackles go on end as I am cut off, I glare at her and see at least some remorse for her actions. She places a hand on my cheek and leans her forehead against mine,

"I love you, always have. But I cannot forgive myself, watching you in our bed, the night we got married will be a nightmare I will never forget." She presses her lips against mine and I melt in place, oh how I missed these kisses. She breaks it to look in my eyes, "You are not fine as you so eloquently put it, the potion I gave you and subsequent not adding the roots was not suppose to remain, there should have been no reason for it to still be in your system but it was-is."

I say nothing as a sliver of pain shoots through me.

"Best and easiest way I can put this is, you technically died then came back."

Both my brows raise identically at her words, I open my mouth but she leans back and puts a fonger to my lips.

"Our alchemy, my mothers and mine, saved you. As long as we live, our magic tethers your very existence to us."

Ironic is the first word that pops into my head, did Harry not have this exact fate put upon him. Neither can live while the other survives. Guess in my case it is backwards, neither can die while the other lives. I shake my head, this is something I rather not think about. I bring her back to me and lean back against the bed, despite her words and her confort, a cold dread spreads through me.

My eyes drift close as I lay with her, soft wisps of breath ghost across my exposed collor bone. I shiver, the thin excuse of a hospital gown does no good to keep any body heat in. Only one thing is occupying my mind, her words about me being tethered to her and her mother. Was it fate that had brought us together, allowed me to kill her father and subsequently make her mother vanish? Did it mean that if something happen to them, would I perish too?

The door opens and closes softly as I open my eyes, Minvera has yet to look my way,

"Minvera."

Said woman nearly jumps out of her own skin and whirls around to face me, remorse is plainly evident but as her eyes meet mine, tears soon brim and roll down her cheeks.

"Oh Severus," Why is it when she says my name I feel as if I am in trouble once again? "Don't you ever do that again, you understand me."

I raise a brow but say nothing as she sits down in the chair, her eyes never leaving mine and I believe that she thinks I am going to fall back into the state I was once in. My fingers subconsciously run through Clarisa's hair as I continue to look at the woman before me, Minerva is looking as if she wants to say something but one glance at Clarisa and she pushes her lips together. I look down to the beautiful girl lying in my lap, curled in on herself while she fights whatever nightmare is plaguing her now.

"How do you feel Severus?" Minerva askes quietly.

"Like I have been dragged through hell and back. Nothing compared to serving tenure with Albus and Riddle but I will live."

Minerva raises a brow and I try to shrug but it hurt even doing that when my mind is not otherwise occupied, guess she didn't see the humor in that statement.

"You cannot expect me to believe such a pitiful lie Severus."

"Actually yes I do," I growl at her. "I expect you not to come and harass me when I don't even know why I am here."

"I can answer that mister Snape," Minerva and myself look to the man who had just entered the room, he shifts under our scrutiny. "You are here for observation, it seems you are awake now-"

"Obviously." I rebuttle with such a deadpan tone it makes Minerva fight not to chuckle.

"- _and_ have your motor functions back." I scowl as I know there is an insult somewhere in there. "I believe you can be released, but, I expect you to take the required potions I assign and be back here in one month's time. Acceptable?"

"Yes." I all but nearly snap at the man.

"Good, I will fill out the necessary forms to get you on your way."

I watch the man retreat and as soon as the door closes I can hear Minerva lose the battle not to laugh, I scowl at her but it makes no difference as she continues on. My misfotune must be absolutely hilarious. She finally calms herself,

"Oh do not look at me like that. Even death can't tame that tongue of yours." Minerva leans forward and places a hand on my shoulder. "It is good to have you back my friend."

She stands just as Clarisa stirs from her slumber and I notice her grip my arm then sag in relief, Minerva smiles before turning to walk to the door, she pauses.

"I expect you to be fully capable of returning September first to resume your role as head of Slytherin and Potions master."

Without waiting for a response, I watch her disappear, that woman will be the death of me, not this damned potion.


	2. Chapter 2: Recovery

**Chapter Two: Recovery**

Hogwarts is quiet during the summer time, July posses no different as the sun shines bright within a crystal blue sky. The grounds are silent, the animals are well hidden within their habitat that is the Forbidden Forest, the Black lake squid is even more docile than usual. All seems calm within the wards until a thundrous pop shatters that silence as two bodies suddenly appear before the doors, only one is standing upright.

"Come on Severus," Clarisa growls. "You said you were fine to apparate."

"Guess I was wrong..."

She groans, it had been hell trying to get him from the hospital. The main doctor had a list nearly a mile long on what not to do until such time and what potions to take and what time, she gave herself a headache trying to figure it all out and then to top it off, as she begins to apparate with him, he collapses. And thus is where she is now, half dragging him to the entrance of the castle. The grounds are barren save for a few owls within trees but otherwise, only the sound of her breathing and his groaning can be heard. Little do they know, someone is watching them, waiting.

"Clarisa, Severus." Both look up when their given names are spoken. "Let me help you get him inside."

Larissa takes one arm while Clarisa wraps her arm around his waist, she wonders if it was too soon to move him from the hospital. Given what is happening now, she concludes that her theory might be right after all, she sighs.

"Mother," Larissa looks at Clarisa as they stop in the entrance hallway. "Please get the bed ready and here is a list-" She hands a list over, "Of potions I need set out. Password to the room is blood-purity-not my idea." Clarisa says pointing the now unconscious man she is supporting.

Larissa nods and disappears towards the dungeons, Clarisa looks down at her husband and breathes a sigh of relief, at least he is alive. She rubs her abdomen again before locking his arm around her shoulders and vice gripping his waist, she starts to head after her mother. The trek in reality should have only taken five minutes but with her husband unconscious, it took them nearly twenty. The final turn to the hallway that leads to their chambers is when he regains consciousness for a moment,

"Clarisa..." His voice is raspy and full of pain.

She flinches when she hears it but stops and lowers him to the ground in a kneeling position, he rests upon her and puts his lips beside her ear.

"Maybe should have not left so soon."

She cannot help but laugh, the dour man, feared by all, is admitting to her that she may have been right all along. This earns her a nip on her ear lobe before his weight sags against her once more, she heaves him up and makes for the entrance to their chambers. In the meantime of trying to balance him and get him to the room, she is cursing profoundly at whatever higher power they both simultaneously pissed off this time. Larissa is waiting just inside the doorway once the wall reveals their chambers,

"Help me-get him-to bed."

Clarisa says between breathes, she is struggling by now with his weight and it is hurting her body something fierce. Larissa grabs him from her and simply levitates him but is stopped by Clarisa going mad,

"You are not suppose to use magic, do you really think I would not have done the same thing if permitted. Argh!"

She catches him as the spell releases but in the process falls to floor under his weight, damn, for a man she believed was thin as a rail, his muscle mass is nothing to sniff at. She knew first hand what his body looked and felt like but during those times, he was able to hold himself up. She cannot help the creeping blush that tints her neck and cheeks as her thoughts wander without her consent.

Getting him undressed without magic and into bed is a whole different fiasco, if he had been awake, he would have been mortified by the fact that his mother-in-law got to see every aspect of him. And what is worse is that without meaning to, Larissa ended up declothing him from the waist down, that had been horrifying to Clarisa. She just knows that if he finds out-and he most likely will thanks to her mother-she will never hear the end of it. This why she is in the shower now, a very cold shower to be exact. Even in his unconscious state, his body had reacted enthusiastically to their touches, she had been highly embarrassed that hers was reacting to his. It is going to be a long night.

"Everything alright Clarisa?" Larissa calls from the bedroom.

Clarisa drops her head onto the wall of the shower as she curses and groans simultaneously, could the woman leave so if that by some small miracle he awakens tonight and might want privacy to fix a certain problem. Oh the gitty little shit in her wishes he would, she would be more than thrilled of a repeat of what happened in the cabin. She shakes her, she really needs to stop thinking about that, his health is more important than her needs...or wants. She blasts herself with even more cold water trying to bury the feelings in ice, with her body shivering she places a mild heating charm upon herself and snaps her fingers, all traces of water vanish. With another snap she is fully clothed once more, her hair dry but frizzy thanks to the magic.

"Feel better?"

"Mum."

Clarisa groans as she walks over to the bed where he lay, covered by his deep forest green duvet. She places a hand gently upon his cheek and he turns his face torward her, she can see the sweat beading at his hair line and feels the unusual warmth of his skin, it strickens her heart once again to know that she had caused this.

"The potions, has he taken them yet?"

Larissa shakes her head and places the book she was reading back upon the bookshelf, standing she walks over toward a tray she had set up earlier, many vials of different color potions sit neatly on top of it. She grabs only three, the instuctions had been very clear that around noon he is to take one fever drought, a pain reliever, and a blood replenishment. The taxing ones are to be given at morning and at night. Clarisa slides her hands beneath his back and lifts him into her lap, his head resting upon her chest. She massages his jaw to loosen it, knowing he tends to lock it subconsciously since becoming a spy, she slips a finger between his lips to open his mouth. With phial in hand she pour the first one, massaging his throat at the same time, the next two follow the exact same way.

"Hey mum?" Clarisa asks without looking up from her husband, "Can you give us some alone time in case he wakes up?"

"Of course."

Larissa answers while walking to Clarisa placing a kiss upon her crown, she disappears out of the bedroom leaving Clarisa alone with her thoughts.

The last month had been terrifying for her, between nearly losing her husband on the night of their wedding to watching him suffer from the after effects of the potion, she was sure at one point that she had lost him. Why did she even have to brew the damn thing in the first place? Memories swirl within her mind's eye as she clutches to the sleeping man in her lap, she burrows her nose in his hair to seek solice and comfort. She shivers and can feel every hair standing on in, the cold from the dungeon walls seep deep into her bones. Why now would this place seem unfamiliar; unfriendly, when nothing but good has happened here-at least for her.

Soft wisps of breath ghost across her face and she bolts upright, nearly headbutting Severus in the process. He places a gentle kiss on her cheek as he rest his head near her shoulder,

"Morning."

Clarisa half smiles, "It is nearly night dear."

"To me it is morning but it is just semantics I believe at this point."

There is no humor in his voice, only a hidden pain. Her heart squeezes her throat causing her to swallow hard, she can't forgive herself, and hearing the pain, sensing it, it's hurting her worse than anything he has ever done to her in the past. She smiles warmly and presses him close,

"I'm glad you're okay."

He smirks and a chuckle rumbles his throat and vibrates against her, it warms her considerably. She shifts and allows for him to sit up on his own, moving toward the edge of the bed, she casts a non-verbal tempus. Four o'clock in the afternoon, she sighs and scrubs her face with one hand. His hand appears on her shoulder and she looks at him,

"What's wrong?" His silky tone washes over her.

"You just woke but in an hour I am suppose to put you back to sleep to administer the other potions, I don't want to."

He slips to the edge beside her and brings her against his chest,

"Then don't"

She breathes deeply, it is his decision even if she can't stand to see him in any pain.

"Alright..." She whispers to not to sure of her own cofidence right now.

For the hour that passed, she and him bonded closer than they were when she was but a child. She filled him in on Minerva returning to claim headmistress, oh Alexandee was not happy, but thanks to the near death of him, Alexander was forced out of the postion based on 'personal conflict of interest'. He had laughed then said that the man deserved it, she had joined in. They stayed within each others arms which eventually lead to him not being able to restrain himself, so the last thirty minutes he has spend nurturing her body with a slow tentitive love that would send even Zeus to Hades.

Her cries of passion fill the room as she crests once more, unbelieving that even after a month in a coma, he has not lost his touch. He can still illicit the most tortuous pleasures from her body, still craving his touch, his kisses and the feeling of him completing her, he could kill her from pure pleasure alone and it is divine. His hands depand her attention and his body expects obedience, a force of nature wrapped into one hell of man. He stills as he crests, the pressure and pleasure so overwhelming that he shutters at the powerful release. An alarm goes off nearby.

He growls loudly as she slips from underneath him,

"It's time for the potions."

She pats his shoulder and waves her hand over herself, clothes materialize, she is caught by the arm before she can take a step forward. He is gently tugging her towards himself,

"Can wait another thirty minutes." His voice is husky and laced with lust.

A shiver runs down her spin but she shakes her head and moves to walk over to the tray from earlier, picking up only two vials, she walks back to him and sits down. He snorts and grabs one of the two in her hands,

"We finish after I take these bloody things."


End file.
